Syria Books

Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen: A Culinary Journey through Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan

Sonia Uvezian

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The one eastern Mediterranean cookbook I wouldn't be without 5 out of 5 stars.
54 of 58 people found this review helpful.

I was thoroughly disgusted to read the baseless criticisms of this superb cookbook. It is precisely to obtain an accurate account of the cookery of this region along with first-rate recipes that one needs to own "Recipes and Remembrances." Although Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is better than Paula Wolfert's "The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean," when it comes to recipes and text neither can approach "Recipes and Remembrances" in quality. I have cooked extensively from many Middle Eastern cookbooks, including these three, and I can honestly say that Uvezian's book upholds the highest standards of eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cooking and is in a class by itself.

Editorial Review:

This culinary milestone has been hailed as a masterpiece, a classic, and the first and last word on eastern Mediterranean cooking. A welcome blend of scholarship and entertaining reading, this revelatory work features a wide range of authentic, clearly written recipes, many personal reminiscences, impressive culinary history, valuable information on ingredients, meals, and traditions, stunning period illustrations, and much more.

Beirut Diary: A Husband Held Hostage and a Wife Determined to Set Him Free

Sis Levin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A worth reading personal ordeal, mirroring Lebanon's, 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is a personal ordeal worth reading.
We saw how many `hostages' looked pale and washed out as they were released from captivity.
Their predicament was equal to that of the Lebanese people. It was indeed a mirror image.
The storm broke in Lebanon, and in Beirut in particular on 13 April 1975, ever since we heard the boom of artillery fires in short days and long nights.
Foreign factions were `simply' fighting each other; directly or by proxy, on our land. The land that had once been a quiet haven in a turbulent Middle East.
The guns of the warring factions changed the face of Lebanon in the hope that one day it would also change the face of the Middle East.
Unknown names of dead bodies leapt up into the Newspapers headlines every morning.

Against us was ranged the perpetual argument propagated by the international press, to add insult to our injuries, that the war was `a fight between Christians and Muslims Lebanese'. This was phoney-baloney and utterly fraudulent. This was offensive, pretending ignorance with nefarious ends. Very few told the world the significant fact that this was a war by proxy. All Lebanese have always been peace-loving people.

With the closure of Beirut's only Airport, many Lebanese, seeking emigration, were virtually driven into the Mediterranean.
Most of the rich had already left.
Hundreds of thousands of my people were displaced from their villages and rolled out heading for more relatively peaceful places.
Lebanese could not understand where the enemy was hiding and fighting.
They all believed though that Lebanon will remain invincible and in the end its banner will be held up high enough to be seen in each corner of this small and beautiful country.
Many young and innocent `boys and girls', some in their teens, had rallied `to the cause' as they saw it.
I witnessed the melting away of Beirut (West) in the hellish days of the summer of 1982, and each 24 hours I though that would probably be the last for me. I managed to send my wife and my three children to the mountain for their security and stay put in Beirut to work for living.
My people were striving to wait in queues to fetch bread, vegetables and water to feed their children. Some even killed by stray bullets, and worse still, many perished by bombs (RPG, B7 or whatever).
Lines of cars were threatened waiting to be filled with petrol.

We saw different militias from all walks of life. From the East and the West, bordering the Arabian Sea, the Red sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the hinterland of Asia - paid to `fight', they didn't even know who the enemy was?. I saw many of them, and I swear to God they couldn't have possibly been Lebanese.

Beirut slept and woke up on the brink of panic but the brave majority never lost faith; they were convinced that our setback was temporary.
We saw how `international politics' were beginning to bolt, without proper explanation we were left alone to suffer, and it was not difficult for us to draw conclusions - we must have been stupid to `welcome every body to our country with open arms and our hearty - and innocent - "ahlan wasahlan" : Welcome.

Mrs. Levin:
Your husband was held `hostage' perhaps in a cell like 10x10 feet. The Lebanese, too, were held hostages in our four thousand square miles, for as long as 17 years.
Your husband didn't deserve his ordeal, nor did the Lebanese people.
Your husband was held hostage in Lebanon, but not by Lebanese. No Lebanese wanted your husband to share our fate.
Nevertheless, on behalf of my people I offer our sincere sympathies and my apologies for any inconvenience this sad event had caused you both (or indeed have caused us all).

The Third Crusade 1191: Richard the Lionheart, Saladin and the battle for Jerusalem (Campaign)

David Nicolle

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Offers Cultural Perspectives, but less on military side 3 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Dr. David Nicolle continues his survey of Medieval battles in Osprey Campaign #161, The Third Crusade 1191. Certainly the clash between two charismatic opponents - Saladin and Richard the Lionheart - make for an interesting subject and Nicolle handles it with admirable balance. However, Dr. Nicolle's primary interests lie in the cultural realm - particularly Islamic art and architecture - and readers seeking more detail on the military aspects of the campaign will find these matters covered in a more perfunctory manner. Furthermore, the graphic quality of this volume - the maps and the battle scenes - is somewhat less than in other Osprey volumes.

This volume includes five 2-D maps (the forces assemble, 1188-91; events in Cyprus, Syria and Palestine, 1188-91; the siege of Acre, 1191; the coastal march; and after Arsuf, 1191-92) and three 3-D BEV maps (initial movements on 7 September 1191; Richard's counterattack and later phases of the Battle of Arsuf). Unfortunately, the 2-D maps are far too complicated, with up to 36-37 events in several maps, and the 3-D maps are "zoomed out" too far to see any close-up detail of the Battle of Arsuf. A close up 2-D map showing the relative dispositions of each army would be more useful to the reader than maps that just show a bunch of blocks and arrows. Also, no individual units or formations are identified in the 3-D maps, unlike most Osprey volumes. The three battle scenes are: Richard's men tearing down the Duke Leopold's banner at Acre, the death of Ayaz al-Tawil and King Richard ordering the Crusader cavalry to halt at Arsuf. Frankly, these battle scenes are rather disappointing, being rather "primitive" and lacking in detail compared to the artwork that normally appears in this series.

Dr. Nicolle's introductory sections on opposing commanders, armies and plans are quite good, although readers unfamiliar with this era would be wise to read the earlier volume on the preceding Hattin campaign first. The only weakness in this material is the lack of any kind of order of battle or even the identification of any specific formations beyond generic nomenclature such as "the Damascus contingent." Surely some Crusader banners under Richard must have been identified? Although the main focus of the volume is on the struggle between Saladin and Richard Lionheart, Dr. Nicolle also makes interesting observations about Sunni-Shia power-sharing arrangements in the 12th Century and politics in the rump Crusader states. The author also provides brief background on the death of Barbarossa before moving on to the siege of Acre and the Battle of Arsuf.

Although Dr. Nicolle's narrative about the Battle of Arsuf is quite coherent, it is difficult to follow actions on the 3-D maps. Nor does the author pay enough attention to Crusader logistics - which other sources note as having a major impact on the campaign. Furthermore, the author does not mention relative strengths and losses at Arsuf, although other sources do include estimates. Arsuf took some of the luster off Saladin's reputation but the Crusaders were not strong enough to regain Jerusalem - although Nicolle suggests that it might have been in their reach. The volume ends with an excellent bibliography and notes on the battlefield today. It is obvious that Dr. Nicolle is well-versed in the cultural aspects of his subject, if not the specific military details.

Editorial Review:

The clash between King Richard I ‘The Lionheart’ of England and Saladin has become legendary. Throughout the ages, military enthusiasts have been fascinated by the strategy of the resolute, heavily armed Anglo-Saxon army versus their more lightly armed opponents. Richard’s inability to recapture Jerusalem was disappointing, but it proved to the crusaders that Saladin was not invincible. This book describes the struggle that has evolved into a mythic campaign for the Holy City of Jerusalem, providing an in-depth look at the battle, the personalities involved and the tactics employed by each army.

Syria: A Historical And Architectural Guide

Warwick Ball

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

revised & updated edition

With a wealth of historical splendors matched by few other countries, Syria has remained almost undiscovered by mass tourism. As a result, little has been spoiled, much is unknown, and there is much to discover.

It is a land of immense antiquity, boasting cities and archaeological remains that are among the oldest in the world. Hittites, Hurrians and Hebrews, Aramaeans, Assyrians and Arabs, Egyptians, Canaanites, Persians, Nabateans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Turks and French have all come, leaving behind some of the most spectacular monuments that can be seen anywhere. Today, entire deserted cities such as Palmyra or Resafeh, immense castles like Crac des Chevaliers and a bewildering array of palaces, mosques, temples, theatres, churches and other ruins strewn across the country provides Syria with one of the richest and most diverse heritages in the world.

Syria's timeless monuments overawe the visitor. But they can enchant as well: to lose oneself in the back-streets and bazaars of old Damascus and Aleppo - still perhaps the most wholly satisfying traditional cities of the Arab world today - or to experience the sheer enchantment of the utterly haunting Dead Cities - probably the greatest concentration of ruins in the entire Mediterranean - is to experience travel at its very best. Most of all, the visitor to Syria meets with the characteristic courtesy and hospitality to outsiders that makes travel in the Arab world such a pleasure. Syria is still 'the best kept secret'.

The new completely revised and updated edition of this book is to keep pace both with the rapid increase in travel to Syria and the new material which has appeared on Syria itself.

With lucid and informative text, this book reconsiders the history and heritage of Syria and surveys the major sites, making a strong case for reassessing its importance in our perception of the growth of civilization out of the Middle East. With its many site plans and maps, readable text and 96 color plates, it makes available the immensely wealthy history, archaeology and architecture of Syria to the general reader and the interested traveler.

An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Rare View of the Crusades through Non-Western Eyes 5 out of 5 stars.
25 of 26 people found this review helpful.

We in the Western world all too rarely take the time to perceive and understand our modern society through anything other than Western eyes. So it is as well with that wondrously tragic period of our history known as the Crusades. While there are many contemperary histories of this era incorporating Western eye-witness accounts, there are but few with the perspectives of the invaded Orientals (i.e. Arabs, etc.). So the uniqueness of an account written by a period-contemporary 'Arab-Syrian Gentleman' will not be lost on the reader. "The Memoirs" are essentially just that: an autobiography of a twelfth-century Arab Muslim and the experiences of his long and eventful life. From his earliest memories in Syria before the First Crusade to his twilight days in Egypt and Damascus, Munqidh shares his vast knowledge with the reader, imparting as well his personal, ingrained biases. It is this latter which assists the reader in understanding the mind of the Crusading-era Muslim, even now oft-considered the enemy of Western "Christendom". Indeed, some scholars argue that the key to understanding the Middle Easterner's distrustful eye to the West lies in the very heart of the Crusades. Munqidh writes in the learned style one might expect of the educated nobility of his period, and though exquisitely detailed, he is neither long-winded nor boring. So whether the avid scholar or simply the interested amateur, "The Memoirs of Usamah Ibn-Munqidh" is truly a worthy read

Editorial Review:

-- Dana Sajdi, Arab Studies Journal

Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City

Brigid Keenan, Tim Beddow

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Damascus, reputed to be the world's oldest continually inhabited city, has enjoyed a history of immense grandeur, enormous political and mercantile power, and great cultural and artistic achievement. In addition to some of Islam's most magnificent architecture, such as the Umayyad Mosque, the city boasts a heritage of fairy-tale palaces and sumptuous private houses. Sadly, many of them are in urgent need of restoration. Brigid Keenan and Tim Beddow have set out to record these priceless architectural gems and to reveal them to the world at large. They were given unprecedented access to the inner, "hidden" city, which has resulted in a book that will be of immense importance to all concerned with the heritage of architecture in the Islamic world. The text first sets the historical scene, describing the growth and fortunes of Damascus through the ages. It continues with an account of its architecture and way of life, and concludes with descriptions of individual houses and of the people who built and lived in them. The superb photographs include façades, courtyards, alleyways, and fountains, and the breathtaking interiors that often lie behind the unassuming walls of the old town, with exquisite details in stone, wood, paint, marble, plaster, glass, and mother-of-pearl. The whole forms a convincing and elegiac plea for the preservation of the heart of this historic ancient capital. 214 illustrations, 171 in color.

Asad: The Struggle for the Middle East

Patrick Seale

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An impressive, if heavily biased, scholarly work 3 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book is already nearing 20 years in age, so much has already been said about its portrayal of modern Near East geopolitics. Anyone interested in this subject matter should read this book, as it is provides valuable insight into events within Syria, throughout the region, and across the world that shaped the relationships between Arab states themselves and with Israel as witnessed in the late 20th century. Much has occured since and it is interesting to speculate how Seale would have woven into the narrative, among other major events, Jordan's 1994 treaty with Israel, as Assad long prided himself on thwarting such an agreement. (Granted, Seale's ongoing journalistic activities offer plenty of insight into his perspectives on most any regional developments.)

Seale's research is exhaustive and paints a fascinating picture of a man who seized and retained power in a complex, volatile country and who thrust himself into one of the most divisive and enigmatic conflicts facing the world today. Unfortunately, this book must be regarded as the romantic (harsher critics may say sycophantic) chronicling of Syrian and Arab nationalism that it is. There can be no doubt that Seale is vehemently opposed to Israeli values and worldview, and to a lesser degree those of the United states and other Western powers. Seale characterizes Israel as continually exercising an almost Svengali influence on the West, able to unilaterally bend the wills of its more powerful allies and impose nefarious designs upon the entire Arab world. His attitude toward terrorism is forgiving to say the least, not to mention his argument that the West's fear of terrorism is a function of Israeli "psychological warfare" rather than a true international reality and utmost national security priority. Seale is also reluctant to hold Assad accountable for his diplomatic failures and military defeats, but is rather wont to characterize the venerable pan-Arab leader as simply a victim of external circumstance.

So long as one is able to distill much of these biases (or at least acknowledge their influence on the reporting), Seale's book constitutes a uniquely detailed survey of modern Syrian history in the vital context of regional conflicts that have defined it.

Editorial Review:

For more than twenty years, the ruler of Syria, Hafiz al-Asad, has been at the heart of the power struggle in the Middle East. Patrick Seale's portrait of the leader shows a man driven by his personal vision for Syria and the Arab world.

The New Lion of Damascus: Bashar al-Asad and Modern Syria

David W. Lesch

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Is Syria a rogue state? How important is it to the fates of Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Lebanon? Based on unique and extraordinary access to Syria’s President Bashar al-Asad, his circle, and his family, this book tells Syria’s inside story. David W. Lesch presents the essential account of this country and its enigmatic leader at a critical juncture in the history of the Middle East.

Syria has been called the crossroads of civilization for millennia. Lately, however, it is a nation more in the crosshairs than the crossroads. From the U.S. perspective, Syria is on the wrong side of history with respect to Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, the global war on terrorism, and the growth of democracy in the Middle East. Bashar al-Asad assumed the presidency in 2000 after the long reign of his father, Hafiz al-Asad, and soon encountered momentous regional and international events. Bashar’s efforts to integrate his country into this changing environment without being coerced have met with some success and some failure. The fate of Syria, very much tied to its young ophthalmologist-turned-president, will profoundly affect what type of Middle East emerges in the near future.

The Big Bang to Now: A Time Line

Terry Sissons

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

This No-Nonsense Presentation of the Universe is Fun 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This exciting version of the whole of time divides time into about 100 eras and gives a one page, wrily factual account of each.
The opposite page of each section, has a thought-provoking commentary on the era.
It is an inviting, easy read suitable for anyone from early teens to ancient.
But, no, it is not trivial. The brief summaries of each era are soundly based on the up-to-date knowledge of 2006- with a clear reminder that science is what we know now and will surely change as time goes by. That is a good lesson for anyone to learn, and this book is an easy way to learn it.
A compulsive book for the dipper-in, there are plenty of pointers to further reading on any age that grabs.

Editorial Review:

The history of the universe in a time line, this is a fun little book about when and what has happened in all of time beginning 13.7 billion years ago when scientists estimate our universe began. Each time entry is just a page, with a facing page bulleting important points and ongoing questions. The great surprise is that this fascinating read is so easy to understand.

The Rescuer: The Amazing True Story of How One Woman Helped Save the Jews of Syria

Harold Troper

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Editorial Review:

It was the mid-1970s news report about twelve Syrian Jews being blown up in a minefield while trying to escape their country that brought home to Judy Feld Carr the terrible plight of Syria’s Jewish population. Like other Jews who remained trapped in Arab lands following the formation of the State of Israel, Syrian Jews lived in daily peril, virtual prisoners of a totalitarian regime, their every move closely monitored by the Muhabarat (the Syrian Secret Police), with extortion, imprisonment, and torture a constant reality.

Over the next thirty years, “Mrs. Judy” (as she was known to the people she helped) publicly championed the cause of Syrian Jews as she secretly negotiated their escape–dealing with smugglers, bribing officials, haggling over travel documents, arranging medical aid, and funnelling money to those in need, even to those in prison.

The Rescuer is the intensely dramatic story of the heroic and deeply humanitarian actions of one seemingly ordinary woman, a compelling glimpse into the workings of one Islamic regime, and a testament to the difference that one individual’s actions can have on the lives of thousands.